Speaker O'Brien Calls Bettencourt's Actions "Unacceptable"

New Hampshire House Speaker William O'Brien says the actions of his former majority leader were unacceptable, but he isn't saying whether he would've blown the whistle had another lawmaker not come forward.

Republican D.J. Bettencourt initially said Friday he would resign from the Legislature June 6 in part to begin a new job. On Sunday, he resigned effective immediately and admitted he had falsified records for a law school internship. That came after a fellow lawmaker who offered the internship went public with the allegations, saying Bettencourt had agreed to cite personal problems, not a new job, in stepping down.

O'Brien said Tuesday he also expected Bettencourt to cite "personal problems" in his initial announcement, but he wouldn't say what he would've done had the other lawmaker not gone public.

Update: The New Hampshire Legal Rights Foundation announced Tuesday that it has severed its relationship with former Rep. D.J. Bettencourt. The foundation had recently named Bettencourt as executive director.